39" Tunnel Prototype Coming To A Pond Near You!

[ricwally]

The good, bad, and ugly of the first runs of a new design 39" Q Tunnel. From ideas, to plans, to bench, to runs on the water. Initial runs were with P power. NEU 1515 1Y 2200 motor on 4S power to get initial setup. Runs six through eight are with a Castle 1717 1260 KV motor on 6S power. Still just sorting out a few issues before the BIG POWER goes on. Final power for now will be a Castle 1717 1650 KV motor. Not the best videos from my one armed bandit cameraman. His other arm is in a sling.
This is for entertainment purposes only! It was actually a very good day for the initial runs. For all the "HATERS" out there. This is definitely not a copy from anyone's plans. This is pretty much a package of ideas that I have gotten from running the 30" tunnel boats that I have.
All comments are welcome!

39 Tunnel 1st Run NEU 1515 2200 KV 4S - YouTube
39 Tunnel 2nd Run NEU 1515 2200 KV 4S - YouTube
39 Tunnel 3rd Run NEU 1515 2200 KV 4S - YouTube
39 Tunnel 4th Run NEU 1515 2200 KV 4S - YouTube
39 Tunnel 4th Run NEU 1515 2200 KV 4S - YouTube
39 Tunnel 6th Run 1st Run Castle 1717 1260 KV 6S Power - YouTube
39 Tunnel 7th Run 2nd Run Castle 1717 1260KV 6S Power - YouTube
39 Tunnel 8th Run 3rd Run Castle 1717 1260 KV 6S power - YouTube

 

[ricwally]

Oops, I put the 4th run on here twice above. Here is the 5th run.
39 Tunnel 5th Run NEU 1515 2200 KV 4S - YouTube

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Thanks for sharing the videos. Awesome blow over in last video. Any chance of getting a picture of the boat? Anyone who designs/builds tunnel boats, full size or model, is basically "copying" what has been previously designed and built. The basic design of a tunnel hull is simple. It is the design intricacies that establish the performance parameters that set them apart.
JD

 

[ricwally]

You are exactly correct about all boats being copies Jerry. Thanks for that comment. Hopefully, all will agree with us! I will get a few pictures. There were three blow overs Saturday I believe. I am not sure which videos caught them. I am sure more to come! LOL!

 

[ricwally]

Here are a few pictures Jerry

 

[brad nichols]

Nice!!

Brad

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Were you running without a cowling?
JD

 

[ricwally]

Yes sir without a cowling. We don’t have a cowling yet. That is part of the handling issues. I would like to have one of your original design cowlings for this size hull. Your original design cowl works really good on the Zippkits 30.

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

The shape of the cowling definitely affects the ride attitude.
JD

 

[Dirk Jan Cozy]

Nice hull and great performance already! Thank you for sharing some pictures as well, it is built very clean.

What outboard leg do you use? And what is the weight of the hull?

 

[Brushless Devil]

Nice work

Do you pretend to share the drawings, or there is a commercial intention?

Best Regards

 

[ricwally]

Dirk, the weight with a 6S 6000 MAH 100 C battery and Castle 1717 motor is 9.1 pounds. The 7.5 drive is from Fred Howe at Lawless Drives mounted via a Capt. Vic's 7.5 mount. Carbon fiber pushrods with titanium ends. The esc is a Castle XLX2 with a Stumpfab cooling plate. It is held in place by one of J.J. Horvath's printed covers that is sold through Stumpfab as well. The servo is from Pro Modeler DS930BLHV w 930 oz.-in. of torque. Servo mount and battery tray were printed by me. So far it is performing very good for the first time on the water. Several more testing days and I think that it will be a very good platform for pleasure or racing. It handled the rougher water very well even without a cowling. Like Jerry commented above. The cowling makes a huge difference with these boats. We are looking forward to the days ahead.

 

[Dirk Jan Cozy]

Thanks for the info Ric. You might have seen my build in the outboard forums here as well: it is a home made 33" tunnel on 6S. Nice to compare your setup with mine. My tunnel weighs 6.6 pounds including cowl, 4500mAh 6S lipo and complete TFL outboard unit with 3674 motor: lighter but smaller as well.

Will you keep the wood look, or are you going to paint the hull? Also i'm curious on the deadrise angle you used on the sponsons, if you would like to share?

 

[ricwally]

Gerardo, the intentions for this hull that we are testing is to put it in production at some point. We are testing this platform for a current boat kit supplier. Right now, this is the only one out. I have made a few changes on my own as well. Just trying to find a good combination for all around boating.
Once everything is sorted out and we have a final plan. I would think that it will be offered pretty soon. That is not my decision though. There will be several additional mods made and a cowling design needed before finalizing this kit.

 

[ricwally]

I have been following your boat build. It looks really good! Natural wood on this hull will remain as is. The cowling will be painted eventually. I usually leave my hulls natural wood. This one being the test bed there was no need to paint because of changes being made.
As far as sponsons deadrise goes. There were some changes made from the original plans. Something that would not be incorporated into a marketed kit. Plus, I am not 100% sure that it is needed. We may build another boat without it to see if there is a difference.
This boat has 19 degrees deadrise on the right sponson and 17 degrees on the left.
For all out straight line speed this wouldn't be the way to go. So far it works for what I am wanting the hull to do.
Good luck on your build.

 

[Jerry Dunlap]

Great sharing of information on this new project.

JD

 

[Mark Poole ModVP]

930 oz. servo....you don't have to worry about turning it around! Long as your on board battery is good.

 

[Carl Van Houten]

This boat has 19 degrees deadrise on the right sponson and 17 degrees on the left.

Wow...interesting combo there Ric.

 

[RobertDoak]

Yes sir without a cowling. We don’t have a cowling yet. That is part of the handling issues. I would like to have one of your original design cowlings for this size hull. Your original design cowl works really good on the Zippkits 30.

Ric...will a 3.5 cowl fit....I have a spare

 

[ricwally]

Thanks Robert, but the 3.5 cowls aren’t wide or long enough. I have a few of the 3.5 cowls. I really appreciate the offer. I am working on getting a cowl and or mold made.
Thanks again.